Weekly Parsha - Lech Lecha
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Lech Lecha
(Genesis 12 – 17)3rd Novemebr 2011
6th Cheshvan 5772
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Torah Portion
Abraham is told by God to leave his land. He doesn’t hesitate, appreciating that just because you don’t understand God’s reasons doesn’t mean He’s not right. Upon arrival in the land of Canaan, there is a famine and Abraham leaves for Egypt, again understanding something fundamental: if you go with God, things will ultimately work out - but it will be in God’s timescale and way, not necessarily yours.
He returns to Canaan and wages war with a few of his servants against 4 powerful armies in order to free his nephew. With God on his side, how could he lose?
Abraham is blessed with a son, Yishmael – father of the Arab nations. He circumcises himself (must have had a steady hand for a 99 year old) and his household and is finally given tidings that another son will be born who will continue his legacy of awakening the world to Ethical Monotheism.
Davar Torah
Parents only want what's best
The portion starts off with the very first command to the very first
Monotheist. It’s the essence of what Monotheism asks of a human being.
‘Go, for yourself....to the land which I will show you’.
For Yourself. From the very, very outset, Torah says that if God is telling us to do something it is for our benefit, not His.
It’s like a parent and child. There is nothing I want my children to do for me other than live life to its very fullest and love every moment of it. If I tell them to say ‘thank you’, it’s not because I want to be appreciated – that’s not even one iota of the reason. If I tell them no more chocolate, it’s not so that I can have more for myself. Even when I ask if they would kindly make me a cup of tea, I have so much more in mind than simply saving myself the bother. I want my children to say thank you because I believe children who take things for granted will ultimately miss out on much of life’s goodness; I want them to learn self control because unbridled indulgence is never a way to long term happiness; and I want them to honour and respect me because I believe that children who respect their parents will accept their guidance and wisdom with humility and love – and that’s only going to be good for them. As a child, I thought my parents were control freaks. As an adult, I have come to understand that for better or for worse, what they always had in mind was my ultimate benefit.
So too, Judaism tells us, with God. All He asks of us is for our benefit and for our pleasure. Over time, I have come to understand this also. If God says don’t speak badly of others, it’s for me. I will be a happier person. If God says to give 10% of my income to charity, it’s not because He’s short on cash for the poor Himself. It’s for me and only for me; He is explaining to me that I will find much deeper fulfilment with 90% of my money in my pocket and 10% in someone else’s than I will with all of it in my own. And if God says to pray to Him, it’s not to make sure I know Who’s boss; it’s because talking to Him, feeling His presence and His love in my life is a truly wonderful experience.
This is the essence of God as a father that Judaism has taught the world. In my moments of self centredness, God might seem like a control freak. But my experience has always been that when I'm willing to listen to Him with humility, He always seems to have my best interests in mind.
For Yourself. From the very, very outset, Torah says that if God is telling us to do something it is for our benefit, not His.
It’s like a parent and child. There is nothing I want my children to do for me other than live life to its very fullest and love every moment of it. If I tell them to say ‘thank you’, it’s not because I want to be appreciated – that’s not even one iota of the reason. If I tell them no more chocolate, it’s not so that I can have more for myself. Even when I ask if they would kindly make me a cup of tea, I have so much more in mind than simply saving myself the bother. I want my children to say thank you because I believe children who take things for granted will ultimately miss out on much of life’s goodness; I want them to learn self control because unbridled indulgence is never a way to long term happiness; and I want them to honour and respect me because I believe that children who respect their parents will accept their guidance and wisdom with humility and love – and that’s only going to be good for them. As a child, I thought my parents were control freaks. As an adult, I have come to understand that for better or for worse, what they always had in mind was my ultimate benefit.
So too, Judaism tells us, with God. All He asks of us is for our benefit and for our pleasure. Over time, I have come to understand this also. If God says don’t speak badly of others, it’s for me. I will be a happier person. If God says to give 10% of my income to charity, it’s not because He’s short on cash for the poor Himself. It’s for me and only for me; He is explaining to me that I will find much deeper fulfilment with 90% of my money in my pocket and 10% in someone else’s than I will with all of it in my own. And if God says to pray to Him, it’s not to make sure I know Who’s boss; it’s because talking to Him, feeling His presence and His love in my life is a truly wonderful experience.
This is the essence of God as a father that Judaism has taught the world. In my moments of self centredness, God might seem like a control freak. But my experience has always been that when I'm willing to listen to Him with humility, He always seems to have my best interests in mind.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt
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